Tuesday, February 20, 2007

Ah, early morning posts. Nothing in the world quite like not getting any sleep at all because your two dogs have been fighting non-stop for the past 48 hours and tuning into some actual music videos on, of all stations, MTV.

So, of course, I wind up being really offended by what I see.

Let me start by saying I am not a prude, nor am I faint of heart. I enjoy almost any form of entertainment, but hold a fondness in my heart for the horror genre. If you can take my attention away from what's happening in the real world and scare me more than things that might actually impact my actual life? That's impressive. I'm not a huge gore hound, but I love twisted, psychological horror, including: Audition, Repulsion, The Eye, Carnival of Souls, and the single greatest film of all time regardless of genre. I even enjoy the occasional revenge fantasy, such as The Stendhal Syndrome, Last House on the Left, or even (in a sick and twisted way) the earlier entries in Friday the 13th and Nightmare on Elm Street series.

So, I figure, I'm pretty prepared for most of the stuff that can appear in a music video, since there are certain standards in place to make sure Viacom doesn't lose it's target audience of tweens.

And then What Goes Around comes on. This is the single most disgusting, disturbing, and infuriating music video I have ever seen in my life. Here's the basic plot: Justin Timberlake plays a dirtbag trying to pick up a kinda slutty girl (perfectly played by Scarlett Johansson) at a bar, even though JT has been told by SJ that she is with someone else. Musical interlude of the two getting drunk and doing some heavy petting, musical interlude of JT pretending to be an airplane while firedancers perform behind him, dialogue with the guy that SJ said she was with clearly hitting on her again, musical interlude with JT pretending he's an airplane, dialogue scene where JT beats the crap out of the other guy for making out with SJ, musical interlude where JT chases SJ out of their apartment building, into her car, chases her with his car, and FORCES HER INTO A FLAMING CAR ACCIDENT THAT TOSSES HER OUT OF HER CAR AND KILLS HER ON IMPACT, and end with JT looking smugly satisfied.

What can I say? Justin Timberlake is a scumbag, but I already knew this. I might not even mind it so much, but with past videos JT has shown a significant lack of social skills necessary to cope with a break-up in a healthy way. The revenge fantasies he provides are not exactly an intelligent glimpse into this kind of event. This video is a disturbing glimpse into the mind of a man who never learned proper social behavior, and I for one would feel better if I never had to watch it again.

It's great that a man who only has a career because he was dating Britney Spears can get away with this. From discussions and lectures provided by music industry professionals who worked on this amazing transformation, JT was viewed as a liability to Britney's career because he was so nerdy. Therefore, he was given a solo record deal, a complete image makeover, and now has a successful, award winning career. Because he dated Britney Spears, she of the total and complete mental breakdown.

Where am I going with this? I want to know if I'm overreacting. Watch the video and tell me what you think.